We design public spaces with purpose.

OPN’s architects and interior designers embrace our responsibility to care for each other and our planet through extraordinary design and a boundary-free practice. Our commitment to excellence and our clients results in people-driven, award-winning designs.

As designers, we understand that it is critical that public buildings serve and protect those who do the same for our communities Our team has have been privileged to work with multiple fire departments throughout the Midwest in recent years. From these men and women, we understand the needs of a fire department are unique and our design solutions will consider the mental and physical health of the firefighters who may experience PTSD, Shift Work Sleep Disorder, circadian rhythm imbalances, and other increased risks.

Participatory Process

OPN is well prepared to help you create the solution to serve your department for many years to come. We understand the value of engaging your department leaders and staff in an inclusive process, focused on creativity, function, economy, and time. Transparency and a well-communicated process will be critical to make your project a success. Our process builds the foundation for a successful project by engaging key stakeholders to synthesize complementary — and sometimes competing — interests into a blended and shared vision for the project.

Conscientious Stewards

On any project, but particularly for civic clients, we work diligently to ensure that the imperatives of time, budget, and schedule are met. We are proud of our track record of completing complex projects on time and budget. We take our job as the stewards of tax payers’ dollars very seriously. We understand that predicting and controlling costs is critical to project success and will work with you to make the best use of resources and maximize your budget.

Community Engagement and Bond Support

We believe strongly that civic clients must be clear in all communications to the community that the message and the vision is theirs, not ours. Our role is a supporting one. As the designers, OPN will work with you throughout the process to gather feedback, identify your needs, and discuss potential solutions. We will also help plan and host any community meetings and attend other board and community group events as needed to discuss the plan and design concepts. This will inform a communication strategy around a key message, which can be disseminated through mailing literature, digital media, graphics for display, and additional community meetings. You will invest a lot of time in the process and have powerful voices among your friends and neighbors.

Because each community is unique, no two stories or strategies are the same. Based on our record of success, we are confident we can offer you a tailored engagement strategy.